Tasting
by ZaraShade
Summary: Helen. Nikola. Wine Tasting. The wine isn't the only thing on the menu...


**Mwaw. I don't know what that was. A typo I suspect which I am not reluctant to delete. Anyway... moving on from that momentary (who am I kidding?) bout of insanity. **

**This is a little Teslen one-shot. It's set somewhere after 'Resistance' and 'Chimera'. With Kate still at the Sanctuary... just because. Doesn't matter when that much, just an excuse to get Helen and Nikola together for some good old Teslen fun times. **

**This is a (belated) birthday present to the awesomely awesome (and brilliant – yes with the 'iant'!) chartreuseian. Because her Teslen ff is amazing. Happy Birthday! *hugs* **

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"Come on, Henry!" Will said. "It can't be that hard."

"Dude," Henry responded, throwing his hands up and away from the keyboard. "This is Magnus's!" He was greeted with a blank look from Will. "Magnus's _private _file."

"So...?" Will said.

"You have met the Doc right?" Henry said, "Tall, dark, looks good in leather and packs a mean punch. Oh, yeah and makes super-heroes look like sissies!"

"What are you two doing?" Kate said, leaning against the doorway to Magnus's office.

Both Henry and Will jumped, startled at the ex-mercenary's sudden presence. Henry, seated on a wheelie chair at Magnus's desk – not daring to take the boss's seat – waved sheepishly. Will was standing beside him, leaning on the desk as he peered at Magnus's computer screen.

"You wouldn't happen to be, oh I don't know," Kate said, strolling into the room, "Trying to hack into Magnus's personal files, would you?" She punctuated the last statement by leaning threateningly on the other side of the Doc's desk.

"No...no, no, no," Henry said, then gulped when Kate raised an eyebrow, "Yes."

"You guys are so screwed," Kate smirked, straightening up.

"She'll never know," Will said.

"This is the Doc we're talking about," Kate said, "You have met her right?"

"That's what I said," Henry said.

"Look, guys, come on," Will said, "All we're trying to do is to find Magnus's schedule and see where she is."

"I thought she said she was going out and she'd be back later," Kate said.

"Well, yeah," Henry said, "But...we were worried."

"About Helen Magnus?" Kate said, "Once again, you have met her right?"

"She decides to go out suddenly without telling anyone where she is?" Will said. "What if she gets into trouble? What if she needs our help?"

Kate scoffed.

"Oh yeah, and what would _you _do that Helen Magnus couldn't?" she said, shaking her head in amusement. "You just can't stand not knowing."

Will's jaw clenched.

"Look," he said, trying to maintain a semblance of logicality, "I just think we ought to be careful. We all know Magnus get's herself into some crazy stuff."

"And she get's herself out of some crazy stuff," Kate said, "It's what she does. It's what makes her the Doc."

"Uh...guys," Henry said.

"What?" they both looked at him.

"If either of you still wants to know where the Doc is, I think I just managed to get into her computer schedule," Henry said, pointing at the screen.

"Well...we're in now," Will shrugged. Kate held up her hands.

"This is so not my fault when the Doc finds out," Kate said, "I'd like my opposition to be noted."

Will shook his head before leaning over Henry's shoulder to read the screen.

"July 10th," he read, "Her entire schedule is clear." He narrowed his eyes.

"What the hell does that mean?" Kate said.

"I thought you weren't a part of this," Will said.

"Well when you go saying things out loud I can't help but overhear," Kate said.

"Look, she's probably fine wherever she is," Henry said. "Are we done? I don't feel comfortable in the Doc's things."

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Helen sighed, closing her eyes, and enjoying the feel of the sun as it caressed her skin. She really ought to do this more often, and briefly wondered why she didn't. It truly was a magnificent day, or perhaps she'd just spent far too many of the past days cooped up inside or chasing abnormals.

"Penny for your thoughts," Nikola said.

She opened her eyes, offering him a small smile.

"Ah, Nikola," she said, "You do enjoy your clichés, don't you?"

"Penny for your wine?" he amended grinning.

She smirked, shaking her head, and sliding her wine glass away from the incorrigible vampire in amusement.

"Nikola, really," she said, "Just get up and get your own wine." He pouted.

"But Helen," he leant towards her, "It tastes so much better once your lips have been on the glass."

"Cheeky," she laughed, shoving him back gently.

"But, don't you think," he continued, "That on this particular day, you should be the one to get up and get the wine for me?"

"It's not me who finished my wine already," she said, eyeing his suspiciously empty glass.

"Hel-len," he said her name. She sighed.

"Fine," she huffed, pushing herself up off her wonderfully comfortable chair, "But only because it's your birthday."

"Do I get a birthday kiss?" he called out after her. She shot him an exasperated look over her shoulder.

Helen left the two seats in the open lounge area toward the counter. They were currently at a rather expensive and exclusive country club – to which Nikola had initially scoffed and been totally insufferable about, until she had told him their purpose. She'd decided, for his birthday, she would give him a gift she knew he would really enjoy. What said Nikola Tesla more than a wine tasting? A wine tasting which incorporated some very expensive and mouth-watering samples?

Helen retrieved some more wine for him, ignoring the suspicious look of the sommelier. Nikola and his vampiric alcohol tolerance, it was going to get her in trouble one of these days. But today was about him, her dear friend. Regardless of their role in this 'war', with him at SCIU, today was for him, for them.

Back at Oxford, they'd always done something with just the two of them of each of their respective birthdays. Even if it had only made up a small portion of the day, particularly once they had become part of the Five, it had always been special. It had always been just for them and they had both adored it. It was a tradition she had sorely missed, as had he. Not that either one would admit it outwardly.

"Do try to pace yourself, darling," she teased, loudly, eliciting looks from the people around them, as she placed the fresh glass in front of him.

"Oh, well if last night was anything to go by," he said, leaning toward her with a suggestive grin, "You should know that I know how to pace myself, darling."

She couldn't suppress the shiver his words elicited from her body. Damn him. She should have known better than to bait him, bloody incorrigible man he was.

"It wasn't all you, sweetheart," she replied before she could really stop herself. His grin widened, if at all possible, at her playing along.

He picked up the new glass of wine. Helen's eyes were glued on his long fingers as he toyed with the stem of the glass. She watched, transfixed, as he took in the aroma of the fine wine, his eyes fluttering shut for a moment as he allowed the scent to invade his senses. She didn't know why, or when, watching him enjoy wine had become so utterly tantalising. She could blame it on the alcohol she herself had consumed, but knew it wouldn't be accurate. She herself had a much higher alcohol threshold than normal humans thanks to the source blood, and she hadn't drunk enough to render her anywhere near inebriated.

"Thank you, Helen," he said, suddenly. She snapped to alertness. When had he started looking at her? He was giving her an odd look.

"For what, Nikola?" she said, her mind still a bit blurry from the way his throat looked as he swallowed. Had it always looked like that?

His lips curled upwards, seemingly realising her distraction.

"For bringing me here," he said. "It means... a lot." Their eyes met, and she nodded.

"I know, Nikola," she said, grabbing his hand, "To me too." She broke eye contact then, speaking softly.

"You were enjoying the sunlight," he said, breaking the thickness of the air that had settled over them. It was a bizarre tension, and she was thankful he'd broken it. She had no idea what it meant and wasn't sure was quite ready to tread in those murky waters quite yet.

"What?" she said, confused.

"Before," he said, nodding to the large floor-to-ceiling glass windows that punctuated the back wall of the lounge.

"Oh," she said, "Yes, I suppose so."

"You've been working too hard of late, Helen," he said, seriously. Serious Nikola was infinitely harder to deal with than flirtatious Nikola. Serious Nikola was concerned for her and her health, and it made it harder to rebuke him.

She scoffed, shaking her head.

"I was simply enjoying the sunlight, Nikola, please try not to read too much into such a trivial action," she said. He watched her intently for a long moment. She felt so exposed under his gaze, but was disconcerted in her lack of discomfort at this.

"It means, Helen," he said, placing his wine glass on in its former position on the table once more, "That you have been spending ridiculous amounts of time cooped up in your office working yourself to the bone."

She opened her mouth to protest, but he leant back with a triumphant smirk. She frowned. Damn bloody perceptive vampire.

"Come on," Nikola said, grabbing her hand and pulling her up with him as he stood rather abruptly.

"Where are we going?" she protested as she was tugged along by the determined vampire.

He didn't reply, merely continuing to pull her along until he'd pushed her out of the door. She turned on him, hands on hips, as soon as he slid the door shut.

"Don't make me shoot you," she said.

"I merely wanted to take a stroll," he said, innocently. She shook her head, hand itching to grab her gun at being man-handled.

He smirked as she began to walk beside him as he started to walk into the expansive grounds of the club, and could swear he heard her muttering something along the lines of 'could have bloody asked like a gentleman'.

"Besides," he added, "I had to find some way to get some sunlight into you, else you run the risk of drying out."

He dodged her inevitable whack, her hand missing his shoulder by bare centimetres. If the whooshing sound was anything to go by, it would have hurt too.

"Really, Nikola," she said, "Could you be any more difficult?"

"Yes," he replied, coming to walk beside her again once he was sure the violent glimmer in her eyes had died down, "I've been holding back somewhat. But your wish is my command. If you would like me to be more difficult..."

"So help me Nikola," she said, threateningly.

They managed to stroll through the grounds around the building where they'd been, enjoying the fresh air, sunlight and the presence of each other. Nikola's heart leapt when he reached out to grab her hand and she didn't pull away. It near soared when she shifted their hands so that their fingers were entwined.

A few minutes later, they came across something that made Nikola's eyes light up.

"Oh no," Helen said, shaking her head.

He grinned like a schoolboy.

"Please, Helen, come on," he said, "This is too good an opportunity not to! Look at it – its begging us entry!"

"It's a bloody building Nikola, it is not speaking to you," she said, "And if it is, alcohol has either suddenly started to affect you or you're far more insane than even I gave you credit for."

"Your words wound me," he said, pouting dramatically, "However I would be willing to forgive you should you join me..."

She stood in exasperation for a moment before letting out a sigh.

"Fine," she said, before quickly adding, "But no dragging me about again!"

They approached the large building that had made Nikola so excited, Helen a bit cautious. Nothing good could come of Nikola Tesla and a large building filled with barrels of wine. It was a situation just asking for trouble. Why had she thought bringing Nikola to a place with a very large collection of wine was a good idea?

Nikola pushed the large barn-like door open with ease due to his vampiric strength, grinning all the while. Helen forget all of her concerns about this situation when she saw his face as he gazed at the rows upon rows of wine barrels with such childlike glee. It near melted her heart.

He walked into the darkened building, turning back to her.

"I think it's about time we had our own tasting, Helen," he said.

Well, it was his birthday after all, Helen reasoned as she followed him into the barn.

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"Nikola!" Helen said. "What did I tell you about stroking the vats of wine?"

"But Helen look at them!" he said, spinning and gesturing wilding, "They're glorious!"

"They're not your children, Nikola," she said, with an amused scoff. He scowled, coming to sit back beside her on the floor she had long since claimed.

They were sitting in the middle of a row of wine vats, several glasses scattered about them. Some empty, some half full. Nikola had issued a very loud protestation at the usage of the glasses, but Helen had abjectly refused to drink from the vat. How undignified that would have been. He'd pointed out that they were currently trespassing and stealing wine. But, somehow, she had reasoned that they could still be dignified whilst doing that.

"Well they should be," he said.

She chuckled softly.

"I think you've had too much," she said, reaching out to take the wine glass closest to him away. His hand shot out at the same time, coming to rest atop hers.

"Vampire, remember?" he said. "Alcohol doesn't affect me."

Her heart was pounding. Oh God, when had their faces got that close? She could feel his breath on her. He smelt of wine and of Nikola. His lips looked like they tasted far better than any of the delectable wines they'd tasted today.

She couldn't resist, she leant in toward him, bridging the small distance and pressing her lips against his. She'd been right, he did taste better.

His hands snaked out to grasp her waist, pulled her closer as he deepened the kiss, pulling her onto his lap. Helen barely registered the sound of glasses shattering as they were toppled over by the couple.

She moaned into his kiss, gripping his shirt collar with both hands in an attempt to pull him closer. She wanted him, she wanted to taste more of him.

"Nikola," she breathed as they broke apart for air. Damn the need for oxygen, she always knew it would prove pesky someday.

"Ljubav," he responded, and she shivered at his tone of voice as he said the endearment in his native tongue.

He turned his attention to her neck. He always had liked her neck, even before the source blood. She'd almost forgotten how good it felt when he kissed her neck. The problem with it had always been no other man had ever really managed to measure up to Nikola's attentiveness to this particular region, despite how much she enjoyed it.

"I'd forgotten how good you were at that," she moaned, before she could really stop herself. He smirked against her skin. "No one else..." she stopped herself.

She couldn't believe she'd just inadvertently revealed that Nikola had partially ruined a part of her for other men. She hadn't even realised that it had meant that before. But she supposed it did.

"Love you," he murmured, "You're so beautiful."

She froze, tears prickling her eyes.

"Helen?" he said. He returned his eyes to her level, using a finger to pull her chin up, forcing her to look at him.

"Please don't block me out, ljubav," he said, "Stop running from me, from everything."

She turned her head away. Why did her chest hurt so much? God, it felt like her heart was breaking. Why was it Nikola had such an effect on her? How could he be breaking her heart with his admission of love in just moments when she'd spent so many years building herself up, making sure she didn't need anyone? Building walls.

She'd missed him so much in her 113 year 'trip'. God how she'd missed it. It had scared the hell out of her sometimes. She'd been so sorely tempted to screw it all to hell and go to him, throwing herself into his arms, and letting him take her and make her his. Though she was fairly sure she was already his, whether she liked it or not.

"Nikola... if I tell you that there's something very important I'm doing," she said, taking a breath, "Something that will change...everything. Will you trust me enough to do what I ask of you?"

"Helen," he said, "Do you even need to ask?" She smiled as he re-used her earlier words.

Why had she even doubted him? She wasn't quite sure herself as she pressed her mouth against his again.

His hand found its way to her thigh, pushing her dress slowly up her leg, and the feel of his fingers on the flesh on her upper thigh was distracting her more than she would admit to. She moaned into their kiss as he squeezed the flesh of her upper thigh, his other hand brushing over her breast through the fabric of her dress. She pressed herself against him in response, feeling his approval through his already bulging pants. She reached down a hand to stroke him through the fabric of his pants and he growled in response, nipping her lip.

He stilled her hand with one of his own as his other pushed aside the flimsy fabric of her panties.

"You're so wet, ljubav," he breathed huskily into her ear.

She let out a small squeak as he thrust a finger into her, arching her back into him. He chuckled at her response and pushed her gently back. She obeyed eagerly.

"Nikola," she moaned as he dipped his head, his tongue teasing her clit delectably, licking, sucking, biting her. "Oh God."

She fisted her hands as she felt the waves of heat building up within her. Her hips bucked as he thrust his tongue inside of her again, and he enjoyed the incoherent purring noises she made. He could tell she was close, so close.

She grabbed onto his shoulders, as though he were a lifeline in her incoherent state of bliss, as he thrust his tongue into her one last time. She arched upward as she felt the waves bubbling over and she came. Her heart was racing she squeezed her eyes shut as she rode out the climax, absently feeling Nikola stroke the flesh of her exposed thighs almost reverently.

"Niko," she breathed out, her chest heaving.

He propped himself up, snaking his way from between her legs to hover above her, held over her with his two hands pressed to the ground. She looked so beautiful moments after her climax, more beautiful than he ever could have imagined. Her blue eyes were dazed and blissfully serene and her lips begged to be kissed. He could only oblige, claiming them with his own once again.

"Need," she said in between fierce kisses, "You. Now."

Her hands fumbled mindlessly with his belt buckle, taking a few moments to blindly remove the offending item. She unzipped his pants insistently, wanting to feel him inside her. Once again, he was only too happy to oblige his love her every wish.

She wrapped her legs around him as his erection brushed against her opening. He leant down to kiss her and her arms wrapped around his neck as he entered her. She was tight, and he could tell she was still sensitive from her orgasm.

"Oh God, Niko," she said. He gave her a moment to adjust to him before moving inside of her. They both moaned as he began to thrust into her. She moved in response, her hips matching his rhythm hungrily.

"Harder," she urged.

Any of his concerns about hurting her dwindled as he lost a bit more control due to the gorgeous, wanton Goddess writhing beneath him. Oh God she was too much. He could feel himself losing more and more control as he slowly came undone within her. He picked up his pace, driving himself into her, urged by her moans and the occasional 'Yes, Nikola, God, yes'.

She felt a mix of pleasure and of pain as he drove his manhood hard and fast inside her. She clung onto him as he thrust into her, her hips moving against him almost frantically as she felt herself building up to another orgasm.

"Oh God!" she moaned as she felt herself come undone for the second time that day beneath Nikola. He let go moments later, pouring himself into her.

They remained still as both their chests heaved, both trying desperately to draw breath. Once again she absently noted how pesky oxygen proved to be.

She felt him stroke her cheek before he leant down to kiss her sweetly again before he rolled off her, afraid her would crush her. She missed the contact instantly, still sensitive as he withdrew from her. She followed his body almost instinctively, curling into his side.

"Nikola?" she murmured.

"Hmm?" he said.

"Happy birthday," she said. He grinned. What a wonderful birthday it had turned out to be.

He wrapped an arm around her waist, holding her close to him. She placed her head on his chest and closed her eyes contentedly. She'd been wrong, something very good had come from them entering the barn.

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"All I'm saying," the voice of their boss coming down the hallway perked up the supping employees, "Is that those poor employees didn't look too thrilled when they stumbled upon us."

"They shouldn't have stumbled upon us then and minded their own business," the second voice said. Will, Kate and Henry exchanged a look. Big Guy grunted. It was unmistakably the voice of Tesla.

"Nikola," an exasperated Helen responded, "They were just doing their job."

"I don't know," Nikola said, sceptically, "I still say that they looked a little too thrilled about seeing you -,"

Both Helen and Nikola stopped abruptly in the doorway to the kitchen as they saw the 'children' in there. Helen's hand had flown up to clap over Nikola's mouth just before he'd been able to finish his sentence as she'd seen them.

"Boss," Kate said. "Find something lurking on the doorstep?"

Nikola offered her a sardonic smile.

"I missed you too," he replied bitingly.

"Nikola," Helen said, pre-empting any rude remark he was about to offer her employees. "I hope today was productive for you all?" She said cheerily, almost adding 'as it was for me'.

"Oh, yeah, very," Henry said. Kate rolled her eyes.

"Try being a little more transparent, Hank," she said.

Helen went to join her employees sitting at the table, Nikola following her. No one paid much attention his sitting closer than necessary to the boss, they all took it as the vampires just being inappropriate with her. Helen reached out to grab onto Nikola's hand under the table. She looked at him for a moment, seeing his smile.

"What are you having?" she said.

"Pasta," Kate said, "Don't worry, Biggie made it."

"Ah, so my Sanctuary is still standing then?" she teased.

The Big Guy placed a plate in front of Helen, glaring at Nikola but also placing one in front of him, just in case. He did put it down a little more forcefully though.

"Wine?" Will offered.

Helen almost choked on a bite of pasta as Will held up the bottle. Nikola chuckled. He leant over to whisper in her ear.

"I wonder how protege would feel about our little tasting today?" he said. Helen slapped him with her free hand playfully.

"No thank you, Will," Helen responded. Will gave her a curious look.

"I must admit," Nikola continued whispering in her ear, causing her body to react, traitorously, "You do taste better, ljubav. And you know how I love wine."

She shuddered, her body arching towards his involuntarily. His words and his soft breath on her neck were wreaking havoc with her.

"Doc, are you okay?" Kate said.

Helen and Nikola snapped out of their little self-induced bubble, looking over at the three of them.

"Yes, I'm perfectly fine," she said. She stood up, dragging Nikola with her by the hand. Will's brows shot up at seeing their conjoined hands. Helen grabbed the bottle of wine before turning to Nikola. "How about a tasting, Nikola?"

He grinned wolfishly.

"Oh," he said, "I think that's an excellent idea, darling."

She grinned, dropping his hand and walking off with the bottle. He smiled widely and followed after her quickly.

"Okay...what do you think all of that was about?" Kate said. Will shrugged.

"With those two?" he said, "You never know." He shook his head. "They are pretty obsessed with wine though."

Henry and Kate nodded profoundly in agreement.


End file.
